Midnight Meeting
by Artemis1000
Summary: *confusion solved* The night before Valentine's Day. Harry and Draco meet at their way to the kitchen. When they hide from the teachers in a secret passage, they get lost. Slash HP/DM
1. Midnight Meeting

Thanks for all the reviews I got for silver snake! I'm sorry for posting the wrong fic, I'd troubles while uploading and somehow got Silver Snake and Midnight Meeting mixed up. Now here's the real Midnight Meeting, I'm writing on the second part. The next parts of Silver Snake are already uploaded, the story has the number 705077 http://www.fanfiction.net/read.php?storyid=705077 Sorry for the inconvenience 

Author: Artemis (Artemis1000@gmx.net)   
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Pansy and all the other characters are owned by JKR. I own only the plot.   
Timeline: They're in their sixth year   
Rating: I'll be careful and take R (for swearwords)   
Chapter: 1/2   
Pairings: Harry/Draco, hinted Seamus/Blaise and Pansy/Colin   
Summary: The night before Valentine's Day. Harry and Draco meet at their way to the kitchen. When they hide from the teachers in a secret passage, they get lost.   
Author's note: This is slash, in case you didn't noticed. If you don't like it, hit the back button. Like always I apologize for my mistakes, I'm not native to English and need a beta reader.   
Author's note 2: Chapter 1 is now edited. I know it took me long, but I was sick two times in the last two months and something. If I edit when I'm sleepy or sick, the edited version is worse than the original one, so I wanted to save you that.   


**Midnight Meeting**   
**_By Artemis (Artemis1000@gmx.net)_**

Chapter 1: Midnight Meeting   


It was the night before Valentine's Day in his sixth year as Harry Potter sneaked under his invisibility cloak through the empty halls of Hogwarts. 

Nothing special, someone could think. But if you expect this to be the start of some great, dangerous adventure you're wrong. Even people like Harry Potter had to obey their basic body functions. And all night his stomach had been growling quite unfriendly. 

He just hadn't been able to fall asleep because he was so hungry. His roommates were snoring blissfully or off to their dates, so he decided before midnight he could now risk to make a trip to the kitchen. Earlier in the evening, shortly after the curfew started, there're still students returning to their own tower late, teachers buzzed about the hallways. 

But now, now the corridors were deserted. Or so Harry believed at least… 

The Gryffindor was lost in thoughts and didn't gave much thought to his surroundings. No, he didn't wanted Filch to catch him, but the mood was catching. It's rather depressing when everyone around him was excited about the latest valentine they got and madly in love and he didn't had anyone… By now he'd given up hope that Cho would ever notice him. She never showed any interest and if she now suddenly would want a date, he wasn't sure if he'd be happy about it. In fact, he hadn't even considered asking her to the Valentine's Ball that's going to take place this evening, and which's also the reason why classes today were cancelled. 

"*Ouch*!" All of a sudden he had come into contact with something. Rather someone. Whatever it was felt warm and let out a shocked squeak when they bumped into each other. "So much about trips under the invisibility cloak being safe!", Harry thought. Everything went too fast to flee or recognize the other person and then someone hexed his cloak already inactive… 

Without the protection of invisibility Harry stood there like a deer in the headlights. But when the black-haired boy finally recognized who's standing in front of him - snatching the cloak away from him - the second shock was enough to shake him out of his stupor. "*Malfoy*!", he snarled. "What the bloody hell have you done?!" 

After he'd gotten over his initial shock, Draco looked like he'd won the first prize in a lottery. And for him bringing Harry into trouble was worth much more. A malicious smirk at his face, he drawled, "that's a nice invisibility cloak you have here, Potter…" 

"Give it back." 

"Nope, don't think so, Potter, that cloak's way too valuable to be wasted on someone like you and your Mudblood and muggle-lover friends." 

"Why, Malfoy, daddy won't pay you your own?", snapped the black-haired boy. Just a tad too loud to not alarm Filch, but he's too angry and annoyed to care. He'd perfected the art of shrugging Malfoy's insults off, however this time he could get him into major trouble. If his arch-enemy reported him, with his cloak as proof, not even Dumbledore could save him from a juicy punishment. Let alone that they would most likely take his invisibility cloak away - which use had a student for it if not sneaking around the school? 

Draco was the first to hear sounds. After a moment listening he'd affirmed himself there're at least two adults talking. Coming closer, though slowly. He didn't felt much like getting detention - and even less when it's together with Potter - hence it's hiding or running… 

Harry cursed his own generosity and carelessness silently. Ron and Hermione had borrowed the Marauder's Map to spend a romantic night alone without the danger of discovery. Unfortunately he hadn't had any idea where he went, so the secret passages he knew weren't useful either. He's still contemplating this when he's pulled to a relief. "Malfoy, this really isn't the time for…" 

"Oh shut up already or I'll leave you behind to handle the teachers", hissed Draco. In a softer voice he muttered, "don't even know why I save your neck." 

"Uh… oookay. But if you lead me into some trap…" 

Again Harry was interrupted rudely, "…I'll be caught as well. The password is: The Great Lady Morrigan. Are you coming, Potter? I don't have all day!" 

Reluctantly followed the Gryffindor Draco into a dark, cramped passage. It's at the most six feet tall and two wide. As if that wasn't enough, he couldn't see a thing until he'd finally found his wand, which's difficult because there wasn't enough room to really move. So he swallowed his pride and asked in a voice that couldn't conceal his dread, "is the corridor long?" 

"Yes, it is. Lumos! We can't stay here, this passage isn't sound-proof and known by some teachers." 

The blonde Slytherin dragged his involuntary companion deeper and deeper into the maze of passages. Even in the light of two wands they looked all the same, only differing in materials and paint, if there's any. 

"Malfoy, did you ever got the idea that I could suffer from claustrophobia? Because I do and I would really appreciate if the corridors became more spacious soon." Harry cursed his insecure voice, this didn't sounded the way he'd intended it to. 

When they reached a comparatively spacious intersection, Draco stopped. "That depends on where you want to go, Potter. We can… wait a minute… yes, this corridor leads to Hufflepuff territory by the direction. I believe… This should end somewhere around Ravenclaw or Slytherin territory. I'm not familiar with this part of the castle." 

"Can we just take the fastest way out? I'll somehow find my way back." 

"Potter, I didn't gave you a tour through our secret passages for fun. The spell I used on your Invisibility Cloak will last for 24 hours. For this time it's just a normal, non-magical piece of clothing." 

"I'll rather risk detention than stay in this cramped corridors. It's horrible!" Harry was by now sickly pale and felt a bit dizzy. This passage trip caused countless memories of his life under the Dursleys staircase to surface and he just couldn't bear Malfoy seeing him such weak. 

"We can stay here for a couple of minutes, maybe your circulatory trouble will stop if you relax." 

"I don't have any circulatory trouble, but it's still cute of him. Oh god! Did I actually called Draco Malfoy of all people *cute*?! I'm going insane! But then again, he looks genuinely worried…" 

"Why do you hate cramped conditions so much?" 

"Huh?" 

"Answer my question." 

"Bad memories." 

"And…?" 

"I'd rather not talk about it. Can you *for once* just shut up, Malfoy? For instance, you could remember how we get out of this terrible gaol. Very fast and without getting lost." 

Annoyance flared up in Draco's ice-grey eyes. "I know why I just can't stand this Gryffindor attitude. Under what spell was I when I chose to take him along, anyway?" "Stop whining, Potter, you're getting on my nerves." 

"I was at my way to the kitchen and my hunger didn't evaporated. Besides, I'm cold - I only wear a pyjama under the invisibility cloak, in case you didn't noticed." 

"I'm cold and hungry as well, Potter, but I've enough self-control not to complain about it all the time." 

"You of all people have to tell me off about complaints, you're the master of whining!" 

"Fuck off!" 

"If you hadn't hexed my cloak I could, Malfoy!" 

"Fine, Potter! I'm leaving, find the way out by yourself if you can't do anything but reproaching me for this mess!" A fuming Draco stalked down the corridor that's supposed to lead to the Slytherin-Ravenclaw part of the castle. 

"Oh damn, you're so screwed, Harry Potter! No way will you find out by yourself and you don't even remember where you came from. Not with your claustrophobia setting in again. And talking to myself is such a great proof of sanity…! Okay, I've to concentrate. I was already in bigger trouble and I didn't died … but then I'd Hermione and Ron with me, Herm knows a spell for all ridiculous predicaments I bring us into. I bet she could even make a red thread appearing that shows us the way we came… 

Stupid! Stupid! Stupid! Why did I have to piss Malfoy off the one and only time I actually need his help? Stupid… - I'm repeating myself. Maybe I'm really a bit whiny… Can the oxygen run out in this corridors when only few people are using them? I guess so, if I'm caught here long enough… Focus, for god's sake! You can handle this, getting lost in the secret passages can't be this horrible. You'll just have to pick one corridor and at some point you'll reach the end. What if the portrait doesn't lets me out? Or if monsters guard the exit…? Will I starve before I run out of oxygen or suffocate before I can die of hunger? 

Darn, get a grip on yourself! I suppose Hermione's talk about sleep deprivation affecting the human mind in really weird ways wasn't exaggerated… It's not like me to panic in an only middle-dangerous situation. But Malfoy, tiredness and hunger together are having this effect, even without loosing my bearings in cramped passages…"   


Harry had just nodded off when someone jolted him awake again. "Urgh! Ron, stop that, it's still dark!", he muttered. 

"It's me, not the Weasel, Potter." 

"I take it that I'm caught in the passages wasn't just a really bad dream?" 

"No, it isn't." 

Draco's voice lacked his usual smugness, it almost sounded a bit worried. That was enough to wake Harry fully up. He'd long ago found out that Draco Malfoy anxious was a really, really bad sign. "So either a really hungry, carnivorous monster is chasing him or…" We're stuck!" 

"That's a harsh formulation, isn't it, Potter?" 

"Malfoy, quit the crap and tell me what's going on!" 

"Don't hyperventilate and save the oxygen, will you?" "Oops, maybe shouldn't have made a joke about suffocation when he's claustrophobic… Wonder where he got that?" "That's called sarcasm, Potter." 

"*Malfoy*!" 

"The passage to the Slytherin and Ravenclaw towers is blocked. I'm not sure, but I suppose it's a magical barrier. Most likely the portrait was taken away, the Ravenclaws are redecorating all the time and seal the passages behind the portraits to keep the younger grades from getting lost at their trips." 

"You mean, like us? Anyways, are we going to inspect the second passage now? I still want to get out of this maze and figured that it can't hurt if we stay together." After some moments of hesitation decided Harry that he should be honest. Granted, without Malfoy he wouldn't be in this mess, but the other boy deserved the truth. Keeping the pretence up was anyhow senseless as long as they're stuck - he could loose nothing. "Frankly, the claustrophobia is worse when I'm alone. Even you insulting me is better because fighting keeps me from thinking about all the ways I can die down here." 

"Honesty, Potter? Well, that's a first… Might as well play along, maybe I'll find out something interesting." "I don't feel comfortable down here as well. Everything's so cramped, dark, cold and it's not as if anyone bothered setting signposts up… That's why I use the passages only when it's absolutely necessary - and don't know my way around." 

"So… then this are Slytherin passages?" 

"The Slytherins use this corridors more often than the official hallways. Ever wondered why we're always around when we shouldn't be there by natural law, why we can get everywhere without being caught?" 

"It does explain a lot… I wonder if we could just walk back the way we came. By all means, Filch shouldn't be around the relief anymore." 

Remorseful admitted Draco, "frankly, that's what I intended to do. But… I don't remember the way back. I've never used the corridor of the Morrigan relief before, you understand?" 

"At this moment, I really want to hit you, Draco, but what would it use? Maybe you get then amnesia and forget also about this passage. Besides, would be a shame to injure this handsome head…" "I get it. Next time do me a favour and don't hex my invisibility cloak with such long lasting spells, will you?" 

"I'll try."   


They'd walked for some more time, but at one point Harry finally got the idea that they somehow managed to go all the way in a circle. Well, it's less an idea than that he remembered they'd walked past one particularly extreme crumbling at least one time already. But at least he'd been busy burning with his wand about every 15 yards little signs into the walls and had had only two claustrophobic attacks within the last hours. 

At some point, both students were too tired to walk on. So they huddled into their cloaks in a not draughty, little cave-like space, warmed by a small, magical fire. It's almost like a small backroom and in a good shape - which made them hope that they'd reached a rather frequented route. 

The Gryffindor woke slowly and peacefully up from a quite restful slumber. He couldn't remember having slept this good for a long time, although his position seemed to be somewhat awkward and the other person was crushing him. "Wait a moment! I'm with someone in bed? No, this' just a dream. A really weird, strange, crazy dream. I should remember if I'd slept with someone, shouldn't I? Oh well, I can't think of a better idea than opening my eyes and finding out who it is. Hm *very* handsome face, you've good taste Harry, somehow this bloke does look familiar…" Harry gave a strangled yelp when he finally recognized the boy. He also tried to jump back, but this was unsuccessful because he's sandwiched between the wall and Draco Malfoy. 

Draco muttered something unintelligible and for sure not flattering as reaction to being woken so rudely. Just before he insulted whoever disturbed his sleep's ancestry, he remembered that he'd fallen asleep next to his arch-enemy. "Oh well, I might also swallow that comment, Harry Potter *is* quite a comfortable pillow and it's too early in the morning to fight." 

"I know you're awake, don't bother fooling me!" "Great, Harry, now you managed to piss of a boyfriend you can't even remember being your boyfriend!" Blushing furiously and stammering asked the black-haired boy, "did we… uh… you know…" 

"Potter, Potter, we do have a dirty mind, don't we?", drawled the Slytherin. 

"Stop squeezing me to death, I'm neither your pillow nor your mattress, Malfoy." But he'd to admit himself that the insult was rather half-hearted. Harry just didn't wanted to appear nice in case Draco wasn't anymore keeping to their truce, now that he remembered everything. 

"You're also the only object in my vicinity that's remotely warm." 

"I'm an "object"?", repeated a disbelieving and indignant Gryffindor. "Well, whatever, you didn't brought by accident any chocolate frogs along? Or anything else eatable?" 

"Let's try a spell to find a way out. Maybe we can also contact someone." 

"Well, if you have an idea, wake me." 

"Ah-ha - you sleep and I've to do the work all by myself. As much as I enjoy watching you sleep, Harry Potter, you can forget that!" "Potter, that's not funny!" 

"I noticed that myself, Malfoy. But as long as I'm asleep I don't notice the hunger, thirst, cold and claustrophobia I have, I can rest and you'll have your peace. How does that sounds, huh?" 

"We'll walk on." 

"But it's nice here … well, as nice as this passages can get." 

"Get moving or stay by yourself, it's your choice. I won't spend any more time in this corridors than absolutely necessary and I'm not the least bit keen on making this shabby cave-room my new place of residence. And make your mind up fast, I don't have all day." 

"Me neither. Damn, it's the morning of Valentine's Day and I would rather spend it…" 

"…being drooled at by the brainless girls of your fan club?! Or rather signing photos so Weasley can sell them and scrape enough money together to buy the Mudblood some cheap costume jewellery?" Draco could've hit himself - the insults were still there, but his usual arrogance and venom was lacking. "Potter's smart, he'll notice and use it against you. You're so infinite stupid!" 

"You're such a git, Malfoy." 

"Imbecile. " 

"Sucker." 

"Orphaned muggle-lover!" 

"Bastard!", hissed Harry and drew his wand. But the first hex, a whip, was aimed at him - result was a considerable welt at his shoulder. He paid back, although not hitting his target. 

This started a wizard duel from which mostly the brickwork had to suffer - because they're chasing each other through the maze of corridors it's hard to take aim. Among other things, Harry turned Draco for a moment into a chimpanzee, the blonde boy retaliated with transforming Harry into a pink snake. Only when Snake-Harry was strangling him, he turned him back - but first he almost made him eat a quickly conjured mice… Cloaks were twice on fire, walls collapsed, pyjama shirts turned once into orange jam, a shoe into a lime green rabbit and so on. 

Finally they were both drenched by around ten galleons water - both had remembered the same water charm at the same time. "Malfoy, I hate you! Look at this, I'm soaked!" 

"Oh, Harry, I'm so sorry. I know a drying spell, just don't move." 

Harry just managed to get to safety before several pound powdery flour appeared where he'd stood just a moment before. The black-haired boy was still covered in a thin layer of flour and coughing, but at least he wasn't the only one… Draco was showered from head to toe in wholemeal flour and while he looked homicidal, Harry couldn't deny that the "make-up" made him look quite adorable. "Not that he isn't adorable without flour, but this scowl…" 

"What're you smirking at, Potter?!" 

"Just remembered a Muggle saying: You reap what you sow…" 

"Great, Potter, now we found out you actually have something between your ears that can store memories up. If we stay longer here, you'll maybe even grow a brain." If anything, Draco's scowl became worse. He had to force himself to be angry or he would go into hysterics just thinking about how Potter looked after the flour bath he'd given him. As if that wasn't hard enough, he looked just adorable drenched in water and flour… "Stop thinking about that! You don't stare at Harry Potter! Quit it!", he chided himself. 

This was it. Harry either had to slap him or kiss him. He picked latter… 

At the first moment Draco was such shocked that his brain didn't processed what's happening. Then he considered whether to beat him up or kiss back. Because fighting would get him nasty bruises and Harry looked just too damn cute not to kiss him right now, he kissed back. 

The hesitant kiss soon turned passionate and a few moments later the boys were all but engulfing each other. This was why they didn't heard someone approaching fast. 

Only seconds later - Harry and Draco were by now groping pressed against a flour-covered wall - Pansy Parkinson stood in front of them. Her voice was icy, mainly because she could only see Harry's scarf. "Gryffindor, I don't want to disrupt your little making out session, but you're at Slytherin territory. If you insist on having your romp in the hey in corridors, then take the Gryffindor secret passages. Do we have an understanding?" 

Draco pushed the dark-haired boy rather crude away, but only succeeded in getting a couple of inches space. Harry seemed to have gone into a state shock from humiliation and horror. "Pansy, darling, calm down, it's just me!" He rolled his eyes in a patronizing, nevertheless friendly-teasing manner, "the last thing I need are two trauma patients to drag to Madam Pomfrey." 

"Oopsie, I only saw a Gryffindor scarf so I thought this goody-goody doers sent some spies to us." 

This shook Harry out of his shock. "Oh excuse me for getting lost! And I get the impression concerning the spying that you've difficulties differing between your own acting and ours." 

"Interesting, so making out is called these days "getting lost". Really interesting…" Despite her sarcasm Pansy smiled good-natured at the boys. "If you guys don't mind, why don't you move your getting lost session to our dungeons? It's warmer and our beds are surely more comfortable than the cold stone floor. Crabbe and Goyle are spending the whole weekend at Hogsmeade and Blaise should still be with Seamus Finnegan in the Gryffindor dorm." The moment the words left her mouth, the horrified Slytherin clasped a hand over her mouth. "Bloody hell, I wasn't allowed to say that!" 

"Well, Pansy, why don't you go back to the Common Room now? Maybe you've enough time to pick a nice coffin before Blaise uses you as guinea pig for his studies of the Unforgivable curses…" 

"Seamus and … Z… Z… Z… Zabini? Hm, I'd have never credited Seamus with getting himself a secret Slytherin lover… But it explains a lot." 

"It does?" 

Pansy bounced excited up and down. "Ow, tell me, tell me!" 

"Why he's suddenly so bloody keen on making friends with the Slytherin at Potions and Care for Magical Creatures, to whom he sneaks off at least every second night - but never when Zabini is away, now that I think about it - why he always wants to know how long we'll be away, why he visits every single Quidditch game of Slytherin and can visit your training, why he hasn't opened his curtains since after dinner yesterday…" 

"Seamus spends a lot of time with us. He's a cutie! Although he's Gryffindor, but by now we all accept him." 

"How long is this going?" 

"Why don't you ask him yourself? Come along to the Common Room, Potter, we don't bite and you'll catch a cold if you don't get out of this wet clothes immediately." 

"Well, fresh clothes and warmth would be really nice…" Before Harry could make his mind up, Draco dragged him already along. The Gryffindor just hoped that Parkinson knew the way or they're really screwed up. 

"We truly got lost, Pansy. Remember when I sneaked out last night to get some food for us?" 

"Yeah, I was worried about you." 

"Just before the kitchen I run into Potter, we fought, our yelling attracted some teacher, maybe even Filch, we escaped into the passage behind the relief of the goddess Morrigan. Unfortunately it went downhill from then…" 

"Well, you do look like you're through a lot. But then again, you, Draco, and Potter combined manage to turn whole Hogwarts into a mess within minutes… Anyways, I'll bring you to the Common Room, there you can eat your fill and warm up. But you don't get anywhere near the tables before you had a shower and changed into clean and dry clothes - that's unhygienic." 

"I don't want you to go to a lot of trouble." 

"No trouble at all. You should fit more or less into Draco's clothes, because it's Valentine's Day we anyway have breakfast at the Common Room. The house elves brought in the early morning tables, chairs, linen, cutlery and china, from eight o'clock till two p.m. they serve a warm and cold breakfast/brunch buffet. Because it's a buffet it's no trouble when you eat with us." 

"Why did you got a buffet at the Common Room? The house elves didn't offered that to us!" 

Pansy flashed Harry a secretive smile, "we have our connections… This way now." 

"No kidding?" 

"No kidding, Harry! You remember the big New Year's Eve party last year, when the majority of the students stayed? The house elves couldn't do all the work by themselves - cleaning the Great Hall from Christmas celebrations, taking the Christmas decorations off, cleaning the whole castle and doing all the additional laundry while making the desired redecorations, preparing the New Year's banquet, setting benches, tables and the stage outside up, charming the hi-fi set so that it worked…" 

"Enough, enough, Draco, I get the picture." 

"They asked the Gryffindors for help, but your prefects refused, saying their House was busy and many had left - I understand that, with your marks you need all extra study time you get… Only a few Hufflepuffs had stayed, but they helped. The Ravenclaws refused. We're clever enough to help - the whole House Slytherin helped uniform. Since then we're the house elves favourites…" 

Harry fumed silently. It wasn't fair! The Slytherins had just once done something nice - only because of selfish reasons - and still they're now popular among the house elves. "That's not right! You can't be favoured, if House Slytherin gets a buffet we all should get one." 

"If you Gryffindors lack the common sense to think tactical it's your own loss. Besides, Potter, you wouldn't get any food now if we hadn't had a favour to ask in." 

"Your Slytherin logic is unnerving!" 

"Thanks, that means a lot, coming from you…!", smirked Draco. That he liked Harry didn't meant he would stop teasing him and all of sudden appreciate the Gryffindor virtues. 

"Gentlemen, stop bitching, we're almost at our destination."   


A hour later Harry and Draco sat in the Slytherin Common Room, warming themselves from the inside up with hot chocolate and from the outside with the nearby fireplace. 

Harry Potter snuggled deeper into his green armchair, enjoying the heat as well as ham and eggs. He'd already devoured buttered toast, half a dozen of waffles with molten chocolate, two sandwiches, a jug of pumpkin juice and a big cup of coffee to stay awake. It would be a shame to doze off before he could enjoy the immense amounts of food - an opportunity to help himself at the Slytherin all-you-can-eat buffet was one of this once in a lifetime chances. Ron would truly love being here right now… 

Pansy brought them a tray with scones, two bottles of butterbeer and mint tea. "Here you are, supplies. Do you feel better?" 

"I'm great!", exclaimed Harry. He's chewing happily at a buttered scone, oblivious to the fact that he's the only Gryffindor at the Slytherin Common Room. Because he now wore lent Slytherin robes - complete to the scarf - and his still wet hair hadn't returned to it's trademark ruffled state, most students thought he's just another new Sytherin. "If I only weren't so tired I could appreciate this more." 

"Fine." 

"Potter, how are the clothes? I'm sorry I didn't had much time for you till now, but Millicent was having a fashion emergency. She actually wanted to leave the dorm with pink make-up, orange brassiere, taupe hot pants, turquoise stilettos and silver jewellery. Look, now she's only looking terrible as usual." The Slytherin girl turned her nose up when she pointed at her friend, who's now clad all in pink, but at least wore a top. 

"I'm sure some Muggles will employ her as scarecrow", remarked Draco dryly. 

"They fit well, but I hope my robes are dry until I go back to Gryffindor tower. Going there in green and silver could possibly become a bit embarrassing…" 

"Oh, don't worry about that, sweetheart, your Housemates will all be so busy making out that they won't even notice what you're wearing. Of course, unless you've another girl- or boyfriend…" 

"Of course I don't!" 

"Good. Well, guys, I'll leave you alone so you'll have an opportunity to do the talking I can sense is necessary. And Potter, you can stay as long as you want and if you need something just ask for me." 

"Uh…thanks. You're very nice." 

"We Slytherins are all nice - even if we aren't goody-goody doers like you Gryffindors or bookworms like the Ravenclaw. It's a pity that very few people bother to look behind the mask we need because of all this hostility and get to truly know us." Pansy smiled again at the two boys - she believed they're making just the perfect couple - and went off to tell Millicent her hot news. While the rest of the school believed she'd a crush on Draco, her and her friends had been sure for a long time that he's in love with Harry. Somehow, she's even disappointed that her matchmaking skills weren't necessary anymore…   


"Well…?", asked Harry after almost ten minutes of uncomfortable silence. 

"Yes?" 

"Uh … do you want some of my fried egg, M… Draco? If I eat only another bite I'm sure I'll burst. And we don't want to ruin the atmosphere here, do we?" 

"I'll take it." 

"Draco?" 

Draco just wanted to eat in peace, hoping that he miraculously would know what to say to Harry. So he wasn't very happy about the disturbance, "what is it now, Potter?" 

"Nothing." 

"Stop that. Tell me. Now!" 

"Don't freak. Maybe we can meet somewhere to talk? Tonight? Uh… we could meet at the astronomy tower or the lake." 

"Don't be stupid, this places will be overcrowded all night. As well as all empty classrooms and the secret passages. Either you tell me now or you leave it." 

"But here…" 

"I've my dorm all for myself, remember?" 

"And if Zabini returns?" 

"He won't. Quit postponing the inevitable." 

"And what is "the inevitable"?" 

Suddenly, Pansy Parkinson, Millicent Bulstrode and some other Slytherin girls were all glaring at them, hand at their hips. "You're behaving such childish, kindergarten children are more mature than you. Get over your problem now or we'll force-feed you Veritaserum!" 

"You wouldn't dare, Millicent." 

"You bet! We Slytherins are all one big family, you always emphasize that yourself, and if relatives are behaving silly the family helps them to get their troubles sorted out or they'll use more drastic methods. It's your choice…" 

Harry resigned first. He really didn't wanted to get first hand experiences with Veritaserum and Slytherins were capable of all evil stuff… "You lead the way."   


The boys sat uneasily down at Draco's bed, as far away from each other as possible. "Let's just get done with it, before Pansy fetches the Veritaserum. She's such devious, I absolutely credit her with doing it. Hell, I'd a hard time keeping her just last week from sneaking into the kitchen and spiking the food with it, so the whole school will be honest. But I'm sure she just wanted to find out who her secret admirer is." 

"I can help with that. It's Colin Creevey, fifth year, best friend of Ginny, Ron's sister, eccentric Gryffindor with a fondness of photography. When we're smaller, he's the one who always wanted to take pictures of me." 

"So he's a geek?" 

"No, not anymore. He's actually the most mature of his year. Parkinson won't regret if she agrees sometime on a date. Tell me, is everyone at House Slytherin pining for some Gryffindor? I mean, Zabini, Parkinson…" 

"More than you would expect", Draco said secretive. 

Okay, that wasn't helping any. If he could just get the bloody Slytherin to say what he's thinking, without all his lies, evasions and excuses. He's tired of the game Draco and him seemed to be playing since they got trapped in the passages and their rivalry. He just wanted to know the cold, harsh facts, even if it hurt. 

And the truth was, Harry didn't even knew himself what answer he wanted the blonde to give him. What did he wanted? What did he really wanted, when he for a moment forgot about all his responsibility, common sense, reasons, the opinion of public, his friends, the Slytherins and all other people here at Hogwarts? Did he wanted Draco to love him, a serious relationship? Maybe one like "normal" people had them, after graduation get a job at the ministry, marry Draco, move to Malfoy Manor, live by the strict regulations of wizard high society - like he'd have if he wanted to be not killed by Draco's parents - and get the heir the wizard world would demand? 

Or would he rather keep this as an affair without emotional attachment? Something not even worth the label relationship and surely not what he'd dreamed of as a small child, but then again he also hadn't dreamed about being the very involuntary saviour of the wizard world… Was he even able of switching his heart off? Just until they found someone they could let themselves love…? 

Or maybe it wasn't even worth that - just some silly school crush, rather caused by overactive teenage hormones than his heart, that wasn't even worth realizing it? Would he have kissed Hermione, Ron or Professor Snape just as likely if he'd been caught with one of them…? 

"Harry? Harry, are you actually listening to me? *Potter*, cat ate your tongue? I'm talking to you! At least trying…" 

"Excuse me?" 

"You tell me how you feel about this… this whole mess, then I'll tell you my opinion and we agree on a solution, OK?" 

"Sensible plan, but I don't have any idea how I'm feeling about "this whole mess". If I knew I would've done already something. No idea what, but everything is better than that. But I don't have any idea what I ought to think about it, how I'm supposed to feel…" 

"Did you liked the kiss?" 

"Yes. Yes, I did. About so much at least I'm sure. But I don't know if it's you, or the stress or hunger and tiredness. Sorry to damage your already too big self-confidence." 

"I was wondering something similar. You know, there's an easy, fast and harmless way to get an answer…" 

"There is?" Harry had no clue what Draco was hinting. He's way too tired, embarrassed and nervous to form a clear thought. But he got the general idea when he suddenly found himself being kissed by the grey-eyed Slytherin. He tasted of cigarettes, hot chocolate, eggs. And it's heavenly. 

Draco pulled only away when he absolutely needed the breath. He's feeling light-headed and he's feeling some weird emotions he couldn't place. "And?" 

"There's something. I don't know what exactly and I'm not sure I want even to, but I'm sure there is something." 

"I felt the same way. At least we know it's mutual, whatever it is." 

"I hate to break the news to you, but from my part it feels a bit like… well… you know. I haven't ever really loved anyone in the romantic way, but I had once a crush and it goes in this direction… I can't quite believe it, but it looks like it." 

"Is this a failed attempt of telling me gentle that you believe we're in love?" Draco's voice was firm and steady as usual, no trace of wavering, but inside he's feeling all but self-confident. 

"Uh… yes?" 

He took a deep breath to compose himself, to keep himself from lashing out at the nearest thing available, which happened to be the supposed object of his affection. Okay, so maybe he's feeling a bit different about Harry than when they'd been children and enemies, but wasn't that natural? He's maturing and able to handle the daily conflicts without violence, he's always in control of every situation he got into. There's just no reason to get a fit about Harry. And that he's thinking about him more often than when they're children, even when he didn't wanted to, was also nothing to worry about, wasn't it? There're also natural reason why he cared about Harry's well-being. 

"If you're right we're in some serious trouble." 

"What kind of trouble? Our friends don't have to find out about this, in fact I don't want to have to tell Ron and Hermione. Not that they would care, as busy as they're with each other." 

"My friends knew before I even thought about it", only a necessary lie, "so it would make sense if your friends are at least suspicious." 

"I'm not sure", squirmed Harry. He really didn't wanted to worry about the reactions of Hermione and Ron at the moment. 

"What do you want to do about it?" 

"Well, whole House Slytherin knows what's going on since they surely will have eavesdropped - I wouldn't be surprised if the whole school was hearing this - which means rumours. For now nobody outside of the school will know about it - for a couple of weeks at least - but we still have to do something about the people here…" 

"Slytherins love rumours and they're very nosy, granted, but I don't credit my Housemates with telling anyone outside of Slytherin. Still, in the end it'll become public. You better reserve some days in your appointments book for interviews with the Daily Prophet, Witch Weekly as well as all the other wizard magazines and newspapers. So we can do three things: Either we deny it, we confirm it or we create some even more interesting scandal that takes the interest of public off us. That'll only work for some time, though." 

"Option three sounds tempting, but I've no idea. Of course we could tell the journalists something like the Minister of Magic is the secret lover of You-Know-Who, but not even Witch Weekly would believe such a crap. What do you want, Draco? " 

"It's not just about me. I've to consider the effects this will have for my family, how my parents will react, the Dark Lord, my House, our business associates and many more people. My father's career as Death Eater is ruined as soon as I am publicly with the Boy Who Lived." 

"Oh. What if he disinherits you?" 

"He would never do that. My parents love me - believe it or not, there's a difference between how they are around their victims and their family - they would never do anything to hurt me. Whatever decision I make, they'll support me, even if it brings them into great trouble. My father's unhappy as Death Eater and I don't particularly fancy getting the Dark Mark and becoming slave to a psychopath fighting a lost battle. He could betray Lord Voldemort like Professor Snape did, then there wouldn't be any danger that we loose our power and fortune. But in any case, you see that's not just about me." 

"But you already said that your father wants to get away from Voldemort. And as insane-dangerous as Voldie is, I can't blame him. So you don't have to worry about your family. You said also that your parents will support you, no matter what. So what is the problem? Besides, I just want to know what you want. We can still search for a compromise later." 

"I … I would like being with you. I suppose." 

"And I would like being with you. I can't claim already that I love you, but then we're only civil for some hours…" A shy, hesitant smile appeared at Harry's face. "Draco, are you going to go to the Valentine's Ball?" 

"No. I don't have a date and I don't want to go by myself. Vincent and Gregory will go together of course, Blaise is with Seamus - maybe they'll even make it public - Pansy is supposed to meet her secret admirer in the entrance hall. You?" 

"The same. No date, Hermione and Ron have turned into turtle-doves, Seamus told us only his love will be there and he won't go with anyone else, Dean is with Lavender Brown and Neville with a Ravenclaw boy he's madly in love with. Maybe I'll go for a couple of minutes, but I don't feel like being the only single among happy couples. That is, if we would just go together, we could go to the ball and avoid at the same time being the single spoilsports." 

Draco's eyebrow shot up to his hairline. "Are you asking me to the ball, Harry?", he asked amazed. But the furiously blushing Harry ducked his head. "Well?" The only answer he got was an almost not perceptible nod. "I'll pick you up at the portrait hole, eight o'clock." 

tbc… 

I'm working on chapter two now, but I've only 2 ½ pages written, so this can take another couple of weeks. The homepage reconstruction didn't left me much time for Harry Potter. 


	2. Midnight Meeting 2

Author: Artemis (Artemis1000@gmx.net)   
Disclaimer: Harry Potter, Draco Malfoy, Pansy and all the other characters are owned by JKR. I own only the plot.   
Timeline: They're in their sixth year   
Rating: I'll be careful and take R (for swearwords)   
Chapter: 2/2   
Pairings: Harry/Draco, minor Seamus/Blaise and Pansy/Colin   
Summary: The evening of the valentine's ball.   
Author's note: It's still slash, if that's not your cup of tea, hit the back button.   


**Midnight Meeting**   
**By Artemis**

Chapter 2: The Valentine's Ball   


Draco was ushered all day around by Pansy. She hadn't left him alone for longer than 30 minutes, either bugging him to tell her everything about last night - and Harry - hurry up or ask Harry who her secret admirer was. He hadn't told her that it's Colin Creevey out of spite for depriving him of his privacy all day. 

It'd been unnerving, but in some way it'd also been sweet. While the Slytherins were close, they rarely showed it this openly. 

"I'll see you at the ball, okay?", said Pansy when they reached the junction leading to Gryffindor tower and main entrance. She's at the very least as nervous as Draco - and at least he's able to hide it very well. In her royal green dress consisting of a skin-tight lace corsage as top and a skirt-like bottom part she looked beautiful, but Pansy was still self-conscious. The skirt was made of several layers silk, the upper sheer layers consisted of almost transparent silk, the lower were opaque. Her hair was put up, festive make-up on her face. To that she wore emerald earrings and a necklace, set in silver. 

"Of course." 

"Promise me that you'll be nice to Harry, will you? You can't scare him off, not so short before the ball. You wouldn't have any time left to apologize and persuade him to go with you. I need to go the entry hall or…" 

"Then go!", commanded an unnerved Draco. He didn't picked Harry Potter often up at the Gryffindor tower and he needed some time to prepare for the inevitably confrontation with his classmates. It's not like he tried hard to be nice to them usually…   


"Hey." Harry smiled shy at the blonde boy, not sure what to say. Or if he should say anything, for that matter. "I didn't thought he would come…" 

"I didn't thought he would be here", thought Draco. He's fumbling nervously with the top clasp of his night-blue velvet dress robes "Hello. Are you ready?" 

"I am." 

"Uh…" 

"Maybe we should go? I would like to be early at the ball, when there aren't many people already." The Gryffindor didn't only intended to avoid a scandal at the ball, he also wanted to avoid a confrontation with his housemates. Some of them dated Slytherins, but this was neither general knowledge nor accepted by everyone. 

Although Harry was nervous and half dreading the ball, he enjoyed being in the company of Draco. even if it's an unusually agitated, self-conscious Draco. "Do you think Snape will come?", he asked to break the tense silence. "Snape at a valentine's ball, that's a sight to remember…!" 

"As head of house he has to. Only for a short time, but he has to come. McGonagall?" 

"Will come, but no more voluntary than Snape. She's afraid, I quote, "House Gryffindor would get indecent". I suppose she'll have her fun after the ball, when she can kick the non-Gryffindors out of our tower." 

"Yes, I'm sure the vixen will have the time of her life." He wasn't so sure whether he would have a good time. House Slytherin knew what's going on and they didn't minded - they're more open-minded than people gave them credit for as long as it wasn't about the damned Mudbloods - but what about the Gryffindors? Draco had never listened when his housemates were discussing the troubles of inter-House relationships and now he's regretting it. 

Harry's worries were similar, just that he's worried about two particular Gryffindors than the whole House. Since Ron and Hermione were too busy with each other, he didn't had the time to tell them exactly what'd happened. 

~~~ 

Harry crawled through the portrait hole blissfully unaware that he's still dressed in Slytherin clothing. Open green school robes with Slytherin embroideries and a green scarf, underneath it a silver t-shirt with Slytherin snake, black denims and trainers - luckily they'd found a Slyth with the same shoe size. His pyjamas were in a bag since he really couldn't walk around in them at day. Though Harry wasn't sure anymore what's worse… 

Ron and Hermione who're snuggling on a couch turned around as one. Hermione looked mildly amused when she saw his new style - she thought obviously it'd been a prank. 

Ron was hyperventilating, his face between snow-white and red. "Harry! Harry! Do you know what you're wearing? You… you didn't, did you?" 

"Malfoy!", grinded Harry as way of explanation out. It's really unfair. Even after the kiss and everything Draco only gave him this clothes, obviously being keen on humiliating him in front of his whole House. 

"Oh. Go upstairs and change or someone will kick you out. See you at the ball, 'Mione and me are going for a picnic." 

"Uh… okay. See you later." 

~~~ 

"You remember the clothes you gave me? They caused quite a stir." 

"Really?", asked the Slytherin as innocently as he could manage. It didn't sounded very convincing. Innocent just didn't suited Draco Malfoy and he knew it. And still it's too good an opportunity to tease Harry. "Nobody can expect me to waste it, not even Harry, can he?" 

"Idiot!" But a small smile was tugging on the corners of Harry's mouth.   


Against their expectations the Great Hall was already crowded with students as well as teachers when Draco arrived with his date of the night. 

This hadn't been the way they wanted things to go. But he could handle this just as well. After all Draco was used to causing scandals, stirs and indignation. He's only worried the… reaction would chase Harry away. "Oh, oh. It doesn't looks good for my chances of Harry in the future. His little Gryffindor fan club will talk him out of coming with one of the bad guys in no time." 

"What will we do if people freak?" 

"Nothing." Draco risked another glance into the Great Hall. Until now they're gone undetected, at least a small advantage. "Absolutely nothing. We'll go in there casually, as if it's a matter of course that we go together to the ball. If someone freaks, you ignore them. That's the least painful way. People will freak out and they'll calm down again." 

"That isn't much of a comfort." 

"I know. Just mind your poise, I'll take care of the rest." 

That didn't sounded comforting either. Rather like he's going to order Crabbe and Goyle to beat everyone up who's complaining. But since Harry didn't knew how to handle the situation, Draco did and he didn't felt like attracting his date's wrath himself, he kept quiet. At least until his interference was necessary. 

The great uproar didn't happened to both boys relief. The majority of the couples were too busy dancing or flirting, the Gryffindors and Slytherin who did notice didn't looked greatly surprised, let alone shell-shocked. Only the teachers were making convincing imitations of fishes. 

"Huh? No one cares?" 

"Let's enjoy it as long as it lasts." 

"Sounds like a good idea." 

"I only have good ideas." 

Harry snorted teasingly and accepted a glass of butterbeer from a house elf. "I wonder how Draco can be so cool. But it's a nice feeling that for once I don't have to get us out of the trouble. Of course, usually it's also me who gets us into these messes in the first place…" 

"Do you want to dance, Harry?" 

"Dance? I don't know, I'm not such a good dancer. I mean, I wouldn't exactly turn your feet into minced meat, but it won't be much better either…" 

"I'll teach you."   


Two songs and some wounded feet later, Harry commented, "you know, our people are surprising me. No uproar, no panic attacks…" Only the poor, confused Hufflepuffs hadn't gotten yet what's going on. 

"I'm a bit surprised myself. I expected your little admirers to loose consciousness when they see their great hero came with someone else", said Draco in an innocent "I didn't did anything, I'm just a little angel" voice. 

Of course Harry didn't bought it. Rather he's annoyed that even at their date Draco couldn't stop making fun of his housemates. "Look, if you just came to annoy me…" 

"I thought we covered that already. The opportunity was just too god to resist." 

"Great, just great, Draco! Either you stop that or you get yourself another date, and don't believe I would be bluffing." When Harry was sure the other boy was told off enough, he smiled again at him. "I feel like dancing again, how about you?" 

"Next time I have a date with you I'll wear steel shoes", the Slytherin quipped, but went with Harry again to the dance floor. 

The Boy Who Lived could restrain himself just about from making a victory dance. "He truly said we would have another date! Yeah, Draco really does like me!" The rest of their dance Harry had a silly little smile plastered on his face.   


The evening was halfway over when Hermione and Ron finally noticed who Harry's date was. Well, it's also the point when they noticed that Harry was present. 

"Ron, hush! You're going to make a fool of yourself and ruin the ball for everyone! I don't claim to understand why Harry came with Malfoy of all people, although so many girls - and boys - asked him out, but I trust his judgement. He'll have his reasons, no matter how weird they may seem. And look at the Slytherins, they aren't surprised at all." 

"Maybe he blackmailed Harry, that's the ultimate humiliation and it would be just like the ferret face!" 

"Ssh, Ron!", hissed Hermione dangerously calm. She looked desperately around for a potential Ron-sitter and finally caught sight of Seamus. Since his date was Blaise Zabini she guessed he at least wasn't stark raving mad like Ron. "Seamus! Seamus, I need your help!" 

"What is it now, Granger?!", snapped Blaise. 

"Blaise, you shut up for a moment. Hermione, do you have hot gossip?" 

"No, but you have to help me. Ron is ready to rip Malfoy's throat out. I need someone to baby-sit him while I talk with Harry and clear this whole mess up." 

"I can help you there, Granger. Draco and Potter are an item, they're happy and if Weasley doesn't leaves them in peace he's going to be on the wrong end of some very nasty curses that could just perhaps ruin his night…!"   


"I'm… I'm maybe jumping to conclusions … but I wonder if you would like to play tomorrow Quidditch against me. One against one? Under normal circumstances I would suggest we convince our Houses of making a game, just for fun, but…" 

"The odds are I'll say yes if you ask." 

A very flustered, blushing Harry found suddenly the tips of his shoes and the floor very interesting. Only when he's afraid Draco could leave he asked, "would you like to?" 

"You meet me after lunch at the locker room?" 

"Great!" 

"I'll rather leave now, I'm still tired. And I believe the Weasel and Mudblood would like to talk to you." 

"Draco! Don't call them that!" 

"What?" 

"I like you, but that doesn't makes them any less my friends. And I can't accept that you insult them all the time. Can't you at least try to be a little bit nicer?" 

A long-suffering sigh, "just a tiny bit. I won't turn into a goody-two-shoes because of you." 

"But…" 

"Harry! This is nothing I'll negotiate about! Either you come to terms with my behaviour or you forget about me and go on with your life", he said in a determined, stony voice, grey eyes piercing into green. 

"As long as you try to be a bit less of a git, I'll try to get used to your attitude and I'll also try to keep my friends from spooning your brains out." 

"Thanks, I appreciate it", chuckled Draco wryly. 

"I'll meet you on the Quidditch pitch at dawn, Harry." 

Harry stayed rooted to the spot for a while, his eyes never leaving Draco until the door closed behind the Slytherin. 

A happy smile lightened Harry's face 

"I think I'm falling in love…" 

The End   


Yeah, I know the end was kinda lame. But when I'm honest, I just wanted to be done with this little fic because I just don't get any decent scenes written for this story. So I decided on a quick and painless end rather than forcing myself to write something that can only end up being crappy.   



End file.
